Load is a multifactorial construct, but usually reduced to parameters of volume and intensity. In the last decades, other constructs have been proposed for assessing load, but also relying on relationships between volume and intensity. For example, Foster's Training Monotony has been used in athletes' load management simply by computing mean weekly load divided by its standard deviation, often multiplied by session rate of perceived exertion. Meanwhile, the Acute to Chronic Workload Ratio (ACWR) has been debated by the sport scientists as a useful monitoring metric and related to so-called injury prevention. None of these models includes parameters that are representative of training specificity, namely load orientation. The aim of this study is to present broader conceptual approaches translated by new indices for assessing Intraweek Training Monotony (ITM) and Acute to Chronic Workload Index (ACWI) while incorporating load orientation, session duration and weekly density (frequency normalized) in addition to parameters related to proxies of external and/or internal load. Our ITM and Foster's Training Monotony were similar in terms of average values, but very different for individualized analysis, illustrating how average values may be deceiving. While Foster's model provided clusters of values, ITM provided more scattered, individualized data. ACWI and ACWR provided very distinct qualitative information, and the two models were uncorrelated. Therefore, the models incorporating training load orientation presented in this study provide distinct and not redundant information when compared to previous models. More importantly, ITM and ACWI are metrics that are compatible to each other and might fit to coaches' monitoring targets in the short and medium terms, respectively. Because our models include several parameters, including load orientation, we contend that might provide a more complete monitoring tool. However, we suggest they are used for intraindividual comparisons and not so strongly for interindividual comparisons.

The aim of this study was to verify and compare the effects of electromyostimulation training (EMS), strength training (ST), and both combined (STEMS), through the analysis of the elbow flexors muscle thickness. Forty subjects (24.45 ± 3.53 years), were randomly divided equally in 4 groups: 3 experimental groups and 1 control group. Each experimental group was submitted to one of three interventions, either an ST protocol, an EMS protocol, or a STEMS protocol. The control group (CG) did not perform any type of physical activity. Ultrasonography (US) was used to measure muscle thickness (MT) at 50 and 60% of the distance between the acromion and the olecranon. The results showed a significant difference in the elbow flexors muscle thickness after 8 weeks, both in the STG, EMSG, and STEMSG, but not in the CG. However, no significant differences were observed between the intervention protocols. It seems that an increase in MT can be obtained using either with ST, EMS, or both combined, however, the results doesn’t support the overlap of one method in relation to the others. EMS can be another interesting tool to induce muscle hypertrophy, but not necessarily better.

Indoor cycling’s popularity is related to the combination of music and exercise leading to higher levels of exercise intensity. It was our objective to determine the efficacy of heart rate and rating of perceived exertion in controlling the intensity of indoor cycling classes and to quantify their association with oxygen uptake. Twelve experienced males performed three indoor cycling sessions of 45 min that differed in the way the intensity was controlled: (i) oxygen uptake; (ii) heart rate; and (iii) rating of perceived exertion using the OMNI-Cycling. The oxygen uptake levels were significantly higher (p = 0.007; μp2 = 0.254) in oxygen uptake than heart rate sessions. Oxygen uptake related to body mass was significantly higher (p < 0.005) in the oxygen uptake sessions compared with other sessions. Strong correlations were observed between oxygen uptake mean in the oxygen uptake and rating of perceived exertion sessions (r =0.986, p < 0.0001) and between oxygen uptake mean in the oxygen uptake and heart rate sessions (r = 0.977, p < 0.0001). Both heart rate and rating of perceived exertion are effective in controlling the intensity of indoor cycling classes in experienced subjects. However, the use of rating of perceived exertion is easier to use and does not require special instrumentation.